Sports Digest

Baseball

The Cincinnati Reds signed veteran free-agent pitchers Lary Sorensen and Mike Jones to minor-league contracts Monday. Both were assigned to Nashville of the Triple-A American Association. Sorensen was invited to spring training as a non-roster player. Basketball Louisiana State sophomore Hernan Montenegro of Argentina has quit the school's basketball team because of financial troubles, Coach Dale Brown said. ... The U.S. Basketball League has added a franchise in Jacksonville, Fla. The team, purchased by Jacksonville Pro Sports Inc., becomes the 10th set to play in 1988 in the summer league. The club has hired Rex Morgan, a former star at Jacksonville University who later played for the Boston Celtics, as general manager and coach.

Rick Mahorn of the Detroit Pistons was suspended without pay for one game and fined $5,000 Monday for committing a flagrant foul that precipitated a benches-clearing brawl during a game at Chicago Saturday night. Mahorn missed Monday's game in Denver. ... The Sacramento Kings reactivated guard Derek Smith from the injured list and waived Franklin Edwards, another guard. ... Conference Players of the Week: Big Sky - Kevin Hood, University of Montana; Big Eight -- Mitch Ritchmond, Kansas; Pac-10 -- David Sanders, Washington State. ... Atlanta's Dominique Wilkins was named NBA Player of the Week for the period ending Jan. 18. He averaged 38.7 points and 10.7 rebounds in three games. Football Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Bryan Hinkle underwent arthroscopic surgery for removal of bone chips from his right elbow and left ankl. ... Dallas Cowboys Coach Tom Landry and University of Houston Coach Jack Pardee are among seven men selected for induction into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame. ... According to Sports Inc., a sports business weekly, Seattle linebacker Brian Bosworth was far and away the most financially successful of the NFL's rookies of 1987. In addition to his 10-year, $11 million contract, Bosworth has more than $1.2 million in endorsements plus a projected movie and a line of clothing, the magazine reported. Hockey Toronto Maple Leafs owner Harold Ballard, who suffered a heart attack Jan. 10, will probably be released from the Miami Heart Institute this week, a hospital spokeswoman said. Ballard, 84, had been vacationing in West Palm Beach when he suffered the heart attack. He also owns Maple Leaf Gardens and the Hamilton Tiger Cats of the Canadian Football League. ... The New York Islanders recalled Ari Haanpaa from the Springfield Indians of the American Hockey League. ... Philadelphia Flyers goalie Ron Hextall was named the NHL Player of the Week, registering a 2.00 goal-against en route to three victories. ... Dave Reid of the Maine Mariners was named the AHL Player of the Week. Horse Racing A group of West Texas investors has proposed building a 4,000-seat track in Marion County. The group, which needs the approval of the Texas Racing Commission, said it hopes to open the track and run quarter horses next year. Soccer A Glasgow Rangers fan has been banned from the team's stadium for life and Morton fullback Hugh Burns faces discipline from Scottish soccer authorities, both for verbal abuse of Ranger Mark Walters, the first black player to compete in Scotland's Premier Division. Morton fans Saturday threw bananas at Walters during a match. Skiing Canadians Jean-Marc Rozon and Meredith Gardner claimed the men's and women's aerial titles in the World Cup Freestyle competition at Lake Placid, N.Y. Freestyle skiing, which also includes ballet and mogul competition, will be an exhibition sport in next month's Winter Olympics. Miscellaneous Musher Jamie Nelson of Togo won the 1988 John Beargrease sled dog marathon that ended in Duluth, Minn., becoming the first woman to win the grueling event in its five years of existence. Nelson won $7,200 for her victory, which took 103 hours, 19 minutes and 56 seconds on the trail over six days.